WO2009080264A1

WO2009080264A1 - Security element, and method for the production thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2009080264A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/010743
Authority: WO
Inventors: Manfred Heim
Original assignee: Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh
Priority date: 2007-12-20
Filing date: 2008-12-17
Publication date: 2009-07-02
Also published as: EP2225107B1; WO2009080264A8; EP2225107A1; ATE516967T1; DE102007061838A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a security element (12) for protecting objects of value, comprising a metallized microrelief structure (22, 24) with structural elements that have a size of less than 30 μm, a semi-transparent ink layer (34) which is disposed over the microrelief structure (22, 24) in first zones (30), and a transparent phase delaying layer (36) that is disposed over the microrelief structure (22, 24) in second zones (38) and forms a phase shifting layer for light in the visible wavelength range.

Description

Security element and method for its production

The invention relates to a security element for securing valuables, a method for producing such a security element and a security paper and a data carrier with such a security element.

Data carriers, such as valuables or identity documents, but also other objects of value, such as branded articles, are often provided with security elements for the purpose of security, which permit verification of the authenticity of the data carrier and at the same time serve as protection against unauthorized reproduction. Such security elements can be designed, for example, in the form of a security thread embedded in a banknote, a covering film for a banknote with a hole, an applied security strip, a self-supporting transfer element or else in the form of a feature area applied directly to a value document.

A special role in authenticity assurance is played by security elements that show viewing-angle-dependent visual effects, since they can not be reproduced even with state-of-the-art copiers. The security elements are equipped with optically variable elements that give the viewer a different image impression under different viewing angles and, for example, show a different color or brightness impression and / or another graphic motif depending on the viewing angle.

In this context, it is known to use security elements with multi-layered thin-film elements whose color impression changes with the viewing angle for the viewer and when tilting the security feature, for example, from green to blue, from blue to magenta or change from magenta to green. The occurrence of such color changes when tilting a security element is referred to below as a color shift effect.

Based on this, the present invention seeks to further improve a security element of the type mentioned above and in particular to provide a security element with an attractive visual appearance and high security against counterfeiting.

This object is achieved by the security element having the features of the main claim. A method for producing such a security element, a security paper and a data carrier are specified in the independent claims. Further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the invention contains a security element of the type mentioned

a metallized microrelief structure with features of less than 30 μm,

a semi-transparent ink layer disposed in first regions over the microrelief structure, and

a transparent phase retardation layer disposed in second regions over the microrelief structure and forming a phase shift layer for light from the visible wavelength range. The microrelief structure of the security element can in particular represent a diffractive structure, such as a hologram, a holographic grating image or a hologram-like diffraction structure, or else an achromatic structure, such as a matt structure with a non-colored, typically silvery matt appearance, a micromirror arrangement, a Blazegitter with a sawtooth groove profile or Fresnellinsen- arrangement. The dimensions of the structural elements of the diffractive microrelief structures are usually in the order of magnitude of the light wavelength, that is to say generally between 300 nm and 1 μm. Some microrelief structures also have smaller features, such as sub-wavelength gratings or moth-eye structures, whose features may also be less than 100 nm.

The structural elements of achromatic microrelief structure are sometimes also larger than 1 .mu.m, the dimensions of micromirrors or Blazegitterlinien extend approximately to a height of about 15 microns and a lateral extent of about 30 microns. Relief structures with structural elements of a dimension of less than 30 μm and in particular relief structures with structural elements of the order of magnitude of the light wavelength or below are referred to as microrelief structures in the context of this description.

In the context of the invention, such a microrelief structure is first combined with a semitransparent color layer applied in certain areas in order to form together with it an open security feature which can thus be recognized without auxiliary means. In addition, the security element according to the invention contains a hidden security feature which is recognizable only with auxiliary means and which is formed by the transparent phase delay layer arranged in second areas. Phase-retardant layers, which in the context of this description are sometimes also pha- senschiebende layers are called optically active layers, which act on the phase of a transmitted light wave. The partial beams of an incident polarized light wave receive a path difference and thus a phase difference due to different refractive indices. If the phase difference of the two partial beams is just one-half or one-quarter wavelength, so-called λ / 2 or λ / 4 layers are obtained.

Preferably, the phase delay of the phase retardation layer in the invention corresponds to a retardation between about λ / 6 and about λ / 2, more preferably between about λ / 4 and about λ / 2. The path difference is given modulo λ, ie in the range between 0 and λ, since a layer with a path difference of, for example, 5/4 * λ or 9/4 * λ causes the same phase delay as a λ / 4 layer. In the context of the invention, it is also preferable that the phase-shifting layer is formed from nematic liquid-crystalline material and / or that the phase-delay layer is in the form of patterns, characters or a coding.

In a particularly preferred development of the invention, the semi-transparent ink layer has a plurality of partial areas with a different color impression. The differently colored color layer areas can represent, for example, national colors, company colors, eye-catching or characteristic color combinations or else the colors of objects which are reproduced by the shape of the partial areas.

The semitransparent color layer or its differently colored subareas are advantageously present in the form of characters, patterns or codes. This includes designs in which the color layer or whose sections have recesses in the form of characters, patterns or codes.

The semitransparent color layer preferably has a light transmittance in the visible spectral range between 30% and 95%, particularly preferably between 60% and 95% and very particularly preferably between 80% and 95%.

The semi-transparent ink layer can be applied in various ways, advantageously it is printed, for example in screen printing, gravure printing, flexographic printing or another suitable printing process. The semitransparent ink layer may be printed directly onto the microrelief structure, but intermediate layers may also be provided between the ink layer and the microrelief structure, for example the layers of the thin-film element mentioned below or transparent intermediate layers which act, for example, as a protective layer or adhesive layer. It is also possible to provide such transparent intermediate layers between the color layer and the phase delay layer.

In particularly preferred embodiments, the semi-transparent ink layer is selected such that it substantially preserves the polarization state of transmitted light from the visible wavelength range. In this way, the patterns, characters or codes formed by the phase retardation layer can be made equally visible both in the areas covered by the color layer and in the areas not covered, as explained in more detail below.

The metallization of the microrelief structure is preferably provided by an opaque or by a semitransparent metal layer, in particular aluminum. minium, formed. As a metallization also an at least partially magnetic layer can be used, so that a further authenticity feature can be integrated without requiring an additional layer in the layer structure.

The metallization of the microrelief structure may advantageously have recesses in the form of patterns, characters or codes which form transparent or semitransparent regions in the security element. In the transparent or semi-transparent recess areas, the observer has a striking contrast to the surrounding color and relief structure effects. In particular, the patterns, characters or codes in transmitted light can light up brightly when the security element is applied to a transparent or translucent support. The recesses in the metallization can also be grid-like, preferably with a small areal proportion of 40% or less, so that they are practically inconspicuous in reflected light and only appear in transmitted light.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the security element additionally has a thin-film element with a color-shift effect, over which the semi-transparent ink layer is arranged, the color impression of the thin-film element and the color impression of at least one subregion of the semi-transparent ink layer being adapted to one another when viewed under predetermined viewing conditions.

In an advantageous variant of the invention, the thin-film element has a reflection layer formed by the metallization of the microrelief structure, an absorber layer and a dielectric spacer layer arranged between the reflection layer and the absorber layer. Of the The color shift effect in such thin-film elements is based on viewing angle-dependent interference effects due to interference of the light beams reflected at the different sub-layers of the element. The path difference of the light reflected at the different layers depends on the one hand on the optical thickness of the dielectric spacer layer, which determines the distance between the absorber layer and the reflection layer, and on the other hand varies with the respective viewing angle.

Since the path difference is on the order of the wavelength of the visible light, an angle-dependent color impression results for the observer due to the extinction and amplification of specific wavelengths. By a suitable choice of material and thickness of the dielectric spacer layer, a multiplicity of different color-shift effects can be designed, for example tilting effects in which the color impression changes with the viewing angle from green to blue, from blue to magenta or from magenta to green.

Details of the structure of such thin-film elements and the materials and layer thicknesses that can be used for the reflection layer, the dielectric spacer layer and the absorber layer can be found in the publication WO 01/03945, the disclosure of which is incorporated in the present application.

In a preferred embodiment, the thin-film element contains an absorber layer with recesses, in the region of which no color-shift effect can be recognized, the semitransparent ink layer being arranged above the thin-film element in the region of the recesses of the absorber layer. By these measures, different color areas that behave differently when tilting the security element: In the not overturned by the semitransparent ink layer, color-shifting areas, the color impression of the microrelief structure for the viewer changes when tilting the security element, while the recessed and covered areas color-constant when tilting stay. Such a combination of color-constant and color-variable relief structure areas is optically attractive and self-explanatory for the user, since the color-constant areas simultaneously form a visually quiescent pole and a comparison point for the color-variable areas in the authenticity check.

If differently colored ink layer areas are used, various design elements of the security element can emerge and / or disappear during tilting due to the color change during tilting and the associated change in the visual assignment, as explained in greater detail below.

Preferably, the security element is a security thread, a security tape, a security strip, a patch or a label for application to a security paper, document of value or the like.

It is understood that the security element can also have further layers, such as protective layers or additional effect layers with other security features.

The invention also includes a method for producing a security element of the type described, in which an embossing lacquer layer is applied to a substrate, and embossed and metallised in the form of a desired microrelief structure with structural elements having a dimension of less than 30 μm,

a semitransparent ink layer is arranged over the metallized microrelief structure in first regions, and

A transparent phase retardation layer is formed in the second regions above the microrelief structure, forming a phase-shifting layer for light in the visible wavelength range.

The semitransparent ink layer is advantageously printed in the process according to the invention, in particular in screen printing, gravure printing or flexographic printing processes. The phase delay layer can also be printed with advantage over the microrelief structure and optionally the previously applied ink layer or further intermediate layers. Alternatively, the phase delay layer can be applied to a separate carrier foil and transferred to the microrelief structure with the applied color layer.

The invention further comprises a security paper with a security element of the type described and a data carrier which is equipped with such a security element. In particular, the data carrier can be a banknote, a value document, a passport, a card or an identification card. The security elements described, security papers or data carriers can be used in particular for securing objects of any kind. Further exemplary embodiments and advantages of the invention are explained below with reference to the figures, in the representation of which a representation in terms of scale and proportions has been dispensed with in order to increase the clarity.

Show it:

1 is a schematic representation of a banknote with an embedded security thread and a glued transfer element,

2 shows a cross section through a security element according to a

Embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 3 shows schematically the visual impression of an inventive

Security thread (a) when viewed without aids and (b) when viewed with an applied circular polarizer,

4 shows a security element according to another embodiment of the invention, in which the phase delay layer is arranged below the semitransparent color layer,

5 shows a security element according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which the phase retardation layer and the semitransparent color layer are based on a common

Layer are applied, and 6 shows a color-shift hologram according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which the described effects are combined with a surface-tilting thin-film element.

The invention will now be explained using the example of security elements for banknotes. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a banknote 10, which is provided with two security elements 12 and 16 according to embodiments of the invention. In this case, the first security element represents a security thread 12 which protrudes at certain window areas 14 on the surface of the banknote 10, while it is embedded in the intervening areas inside the banknote 10. The second security element 16 is formed by a glued transfer element of any shape. In other embodiments, the security element 16 can also be designed in the form of a cover film, which is arranged in or above a window area or a continuous opening of the banknote.

The construction of a security thread 12 according to the invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, where FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the security thread and FIG. 3 shows in (a) or (b) the visual impression of the security thread when viewing without aids or when viewing with an applied circular polarizer shows.

With reference to FIG. 2, the security thread 12 comprises a carrier foil 20 and an embossed and cured UV lacquer layer 22 applied to the carrier foil 20. The embossed structures of the lacquer layer 22 form a diffractive microrelief structure in the form of a hologram. In other configurations, the embossing structures may also have a holographic grating image, a hologram-like diffraction structure or else an achromatic microstructure. structure with a non-colored, for example, silvery matt appearance.

For influencing the incident light, the dimensions of the structural elements of the diffractive microrelief structures are of the order of magnitude of the wavelength of light, that is to say typically have dimensions of between approximately 300 nm and approximately 1 μm. As already explained above, microrelief structures according to the invention can also have smaller structural elements with dimensions down to 100 nm or less. In particular, the structural elements of achromatic microrelief structures can also be larger than 1 μm. For example, achromatically reflecting micromirrors or blazed grating lines typically have a height of approximately 10 μm and a lateral extent of approximately 20 μm.

On the relief structure of the lacquer layer 22, an opaque aluminum layer is applied as a reflection layer 24. In preferred embodiments, the reflective layer 24 has recesses 26 in the form of patterns, characters, or codings that form transparent or translucent areas in the security thread.

On the metallized microrelief structure, a semi-transparent ink layer 34 is printed in first regions 30, which has a plurality of partial regions 34-1, 34-2, 34-3 with different color impressions. For example, when using the security thread 12 in banknotes, the colors of the subareas 34-1 to 34-3 may represent the country colors of the issuing state. In other applications also corporate colors, eye-catching or characteristic color combinations or, in particular in the arrangement of the subregions in the form of a pattern, the colors of one of the pattern come questioned object. In the regions 32 outside the first regions 30, the microrelief structure without printed ink layer is present.

The color impression of the security thread 12 in plan view is shown schematically in FIG. 3 (a), wherein the holographic image produced by the microrelief structure is not shown for the sake of clarity. In the exemplary embodiment, the periodically repeating regions 30 covered by the color layer 34 show a multicolored flag representation which is composed of the three differently colored color layer subregions 34 - 1, 34 - 2, 34 - 3. Between the ink layer areas 30, the security thread 12 appears with the metallic luster of the reflection layer 24. In the areas of the recesses 26, the security thread is translucent, so that there is additionally a noticeable contrast effect in the transmitted light.

In addition to the open security feature formed by the microrelief structure and the color layer 34, the security thread 12 also includes a hidden security feature formed by a transparent phase retardation layer 36 that is patterned in second regions 38 over the microrelief structure.

The phase retardation layer 36 is made of a birefringent material, for example of nematic liquid crystalline material. The layer thickness of the phase retardation layer 36 is typically selected such that its phase delay corresponds to a retardation between about λ / 6 and about λ / 2, preferably about λ / 4, where λ represents a wavelength in the visible spectral range. Looking at the security thread 12 with ordinary unpolarized light and no tools, the second regions 38 with the phase retardation layer 36 are virtually undetectable because the phase retardation of the layer 36 acts equally on all directions of polarization of the incident light and its light absorption is negligibly small.

On the other hand, if the security thread 12 is viewed with an applied circular polarizer 40, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), strong differences in contrast occur between the areas 38, 39 with and without the phase delay layer 36. The presence and shape of the pattern formed by the regions 38 can thus be used for additional authenticity testing, for example at the point of sale or in banks.

The operation of the hidden security feature will now be described in greater detail by the example of a λ / 4 phase retardation layer 36 and an applied circular polarizer 40, which transmits only right circularly polarized light. Under these conditions, only the right circularly polarized portion of the circular polarizer 40 is transmitted by incident unpolarized light. In the sub-regions 39 of the security thread without phase delay layer 36, the right circularly polarized light from the metallic reflector layer 24 of the thin-film element 22 with the reverse polarization direction, ie as a left-circular polarized light reflected. The reflected left circularly polarized light is blocked by the circular polarizer 40, so that the partial areas 39 appear dark to the viewer.

On the other hand, in the phase-retardation-layer subareas 38 the right-hand circularly polarized light is converted into linearly polarized light by the phase retardation layer 36 prior to reflection at the reflector layer 24. converts. The unchanged linearly polarized, reflected light passes through the phase retardation layer 36 again and is thereby converted into right-circularly polarized light, which can pass through the circular polarizer 40 in the selected conditions without further notice. In the subareas 38, the pattern 30, 32 of the open security feature therefore appears to be essentially unchanged to the viewer.

Applying a suitably oriented linear polarizer instead of a circular polarizer results in the inverse contrast ratios, as shown by analogy with the polarization of the incident and reflected light.

Of particular importance for the combinability of the two security features is the fact that the semi-transparent ink layer 34 largely preserves the polarization state of the transmitted light. This ensures that the pattern formed by the phase retardation layer 36 can be made equally visible in the covered and uncovered areas 30, 32.

For the production of the security thread 12 of FIG. 2, for example, the microrelief structure and the semitransparent ink layer 34 can be applied to a first carrier film and the phase retardation layer 36 can be applied in the form of the desired pattern to a second carrier film. The second carrier film is then transferred together with the phase delay layer 36 by means of laminating adhesive 42 onto the microrelief structure with the semitransparent ink layer 34 and the second carrier film is then stripped off. Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. Unlike in the design of FIG. 2, the phase retardation layer 36 in this exemplary embodiment lies below the semitransparent ink layer 34. The layer denoted by reference numeral 44 represents a transparent layer, for example an adhesive layer, a protective lacquer layer, a primer or the like The semi-transparent ink layer 34 is also covered with a protective lacquer layer 46. Since the semi-transparent ink layer 34 largely preserves the polarization state of the light passing through, the mode of operation of the embodiment of FIG. 4 corresponds to the mode of operation already described in FIG. 2. Of course, transparent intermediate layers, such as layers 44 or 46, may also be provided in the embodiment of FIG. 2.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a transparent lacquer layer 48 is first applied to the microrelief structure, and the phase delay layer 36 and the semitransparent ink layer 34 are then printed thereon. The relative arrangement of the color layer regions 34-1 to 34-3 and the regions 38 with the phase delay layer 36 on the lacquer layer 48 are arbitrary.

Fig. 6 shows, as a further embodiment of the invention, a color-shift hologram in which the effects described above are combined with an optically variable thin-film element. The security element 50 of FIG. 6 contains, in addition to the elements already described in connection with FIGS. 2 to 5, a thin-film element 58 with a color-tilting effect, which is applied to the embossed and cured UV lacquer layer 22.

The thin-film element 58 comprises a reflection layer 52 formed by an opaque aluminum layer, a reflection layer 52 formed on the reflection layer. Dielectric SiO ₂ spacer layer 54 and a partially transparent absorber layer 56 of chromium vaporized. As explained above, the color shift effect of such a thin-film element 58 is based on interferences of the light beams reflected by the sublayers 52, 54, 56. The reflection layer 52 of the thin-film element 58 simultaneously forms the metallization of the microrelief structure.

In the exemplary embodiment, the absorber layer 56 of the thin-film element has recesses 60, in the region of which the thin-film element 58 has no color-shift effect due to the absence of interference. Subregions 34-1 and 34-2 of a semitransparent ink layer 34 are respectively applied in the recessed areas 60 of the absorber layer 56. In the idealized illustration of FIG. 6, the ink layer areas 34-1 and 34-2 end in registration with the recesses 60 of the absorber layer. Of course, in practice, the ink layer areas may slightly overlap the absorber, or the non-recessed absorber area may protrude slightly into the ink layer areas 34.

The thin-film element 58 and the ink layer regions 34-1 and 34-2 are now matched to one another such that they produce substantially the same color impression at certain viewing angles.

For example, when the security element 50 is tilted, the color impression of the thin-film element 58 changes from magenta when viewed perpendicularly to green when obliquely viewed. Coordinated therewith, the semi-transparent ink layer 34 is selected such that it gives a magenta color impression in the ink layer area 34-1 and a green color impression in the ink layer area 34-2. Unlike the thin film layer ment 58 changes the color impression of the ink layer areas 34-1 and 34-2 when tilting the security element 50 practically not.

In the aforementioned design of the security element 50, when viewed perpendicularly, those areas 62 in which the thin-film element 58 is present without an applied color layer and without recesses in the absorber layer, and those areas 64 in which a magenta color layer 34-1 is present in the recesses 60, both have a very similar or even the same magenta color impression. Of these, the green color impression of the regions 66, in which a green color layer 34-2 is present in the recesses 60, clearly stands out.

If the observer now tilts the security element 50, the color impression of the thin-film element 58 changes from magenta to green as the tilt angle increases, while the color impression in the subregions 34-1 and 34-2 covered with the ink layer 34 remains unchanged. At a certain oblique viewing angle, those areas 62 in which the thin-film element 58 is present without applied ink layer and without recesses and those areas 66 in which the recesses 60 have a green color layer 34-2 mediate a very similar or even very similar same green color impression. Of these, the magenta color impression of the regions 64 clearly stands out from this viewing direction.

On the whole, the regions 66 which clearly protrude when viewed vertically occur visually in the background when the security element is tilted, while the regions 64, which are originally color-matched and thus inconspicuous, visually come to the fore when tilted. The areas 64, 66 may in particular be patterns, characters or Encodings that visually appear or disappear as the security element tilts.

The ink layer areas may also be present in non-recessed areas of the absorber layer 56 of the thin-film element 58. Unlike the completely color-constant regions 34-1, 34-2 of FIG. 6, the color impression of such regions varies to some extent upon tilting of the security element, since the changing tilt color of the thin-film element then somewhat shines through the semitransparent ink layer. The extent of the color change can be determined by the degree of transparency of the semitransparent ink layer. Especially with small structures and compared to the adjacent, strongly farbkippenden areas a slightly lower color consistency for the viewer is virtually imperceptible.

The mentioned recesses in the reflection layers can also be grid-like, preferably with a small areal proportion of 40% or less. The recesses of the reflection layers are then practically not incident on reflected light, but only appear in transmitted light.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Security element for securing valuables with

a metallized microrelief structure with features of less than 30 μm,

a semitransparent ink layer disposed in first regions over the microrelief structure, and

a transparent phase retardation layer disposed in second regions over the microrelief pattern and forming a phase shift layer for light in the visible wavelength range.

2. Security element according to claim 1, characterized in that the semi-transparent ink layer has a plurality of partial areas with different color impression.

3. Security element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the semitransparent color layer in the visible spectral range has a light transmission between 30% and 95%, preferably between 60% and 95%, and more preferably between 80% and 95%.

4. Security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the semitransparent color layer or its different colored subregions in the form of characters, patterns or codes are present.

5. A security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the microrelief structure is a diffractive structure, such as a hologram, a holographic grating image or a hologram-like diffraction structure, or an achromatic structure, such as a matt structure Micro-mirror assembly, a Blazegitter with a sawtooth groove profile or Fresnellinsen- arrangement represents.

6. The security element according to claim 1, characterized in that the metallization of the microrelief structure is formed by an opaque or a semi-transparent metal layer, preferably by an opaque or a semitransparent aluminum layer.

7. A security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, character- ized in that the metallization of the microrelief structure has recesses in the form of patterns, characters or codes that form transparent or translucent areas in the security element.

8. The security element according to claim 1, characterized in that the phase delay of the phase delay layer for light from the visible wavelength range corresponds to a path difference between λ / 6 and λ / 2.

9. The security element according to claim 1, characterized in that the phase delay layer for light from the visible wavelength range forms a λ / 4 layer at least in partial regions.

10. The security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the phase delay layer is formed from nematic liquid-crystalline material.

11. A security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the phase delay layer is in the form of patterns, characters or a coding.

12. The security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the semitransparent color layer substantially preserves the polarization state of light passing from the visible wavelength range.

13. A security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the security element further comprises a thin-film element with Farbkippeffekt over which the semitransparent ink layer is arranged, wherein the color impression of the thin-film element and the color impression of at least a portion of the semi-transparent ink layer under consideration predetermined viewing conditions are adapted to each other.

14. The security element according to claim 13, characterized in that the thin-film element contains a reflection layer formed by the metallization of the microrelief structure, an absorber layer and a dielectric spacer layer arranged between the reflection layer and the absorber layer.

15. Security element according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the thin-film element has an absorber layer with recesses contains, in the range no color shift effect is recognizable, and that the semi-transparent ink layer in the region of the recesses of the absorber layer is disposed over the thin-film element.

16, security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the security element is a security thread, a security tape, a security strip, a patch or a label for application to a security paper, document of value or the like.

17. A method for producing a security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 16, wherein

an embossing lacquer layer is applied to a substrate, and embossed and metallized in the form of a desired microrelief structure with structural elements of a dimension of less than 30 μm,

a semitransparent color layer is arranged over the metallized microrelief structure in first regions, and

- In the second areas above the microrelief structure, a transparent phase retardation layer is arranged, which forms a phase-shifting layer for light from the visible wavelength range.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the non-transparent ink layer is printed, in particular in screen printing, gravure printing or flexographic printing process.

19. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the phase delay layer over the microrelief structure and optionally the color layer is printed.

20. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the phase retardation layer is applied to a carrier film and is transferred to the microrelief structure with the applied ink layer.

21. Security paper for the production of security or value documents, such as banknotes, checks, identity cards, certificates or the like, which is equipped with a security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 20.

22. Security paper according to claim 21, characterized in that the security paper comprises a carrier substrate made of paper or plastic.

23. Data carrier, in particular branded article, valuable document or the like, with a security element according to one of claims 1 to 20.

24. Use of a security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 20, a security paper according to claim 21 or 22, or a data carrier according to claim 23 for forgery protection of goods of any kind.